Ni No Kuni 2 demo shows off more gorgeous battles

And the kingdom system gets teased.

More of Ni No Kuni 2 has been shown off at E3, with Evan and his pals getting into a couple of tense battles.

I’m pretty close to being sold on the new battle system. I loved the familiars in the original, but the real-time fights always felt just a little bit awkward with the constant need to navigate menus and give these creatures orders. Ni No Kuni 2 is more action-focused, and it looks a lot less fiddly as a result.

Though the absence of familiars is a shame, I’m really digging the adorable, Pikmin-like beasties that replace them. A Higgledy is a wee sprite, and loads of them will join you in your fights, all grouped together. They have a mind of their own, attacking, distracting, but they can also be commanded, buffing your party, healing, casting spells and augmenting skills that you’ve charged. They’ll also help out while you’re exploring, letting you reach new areas.

While the demo was focused on combat, the new kingdom system was also teased. Ni No Kuni 2 begins with Evan being ousted from his kingdom because he’s just not a very good ruler. Much of his journey is concerned with him proving that he’s able to be a king, and to that end, players will be able to create a new kingdom by recruiting citizens and then giving them tasks, customising it.